The Research Improvement and Development Program at Elizabeth City consists of three research projects of biomedical significance. The first project is dealing with the extraction, purification, and characterization of active chemical components from Vitex negundo. The extracted chemicals are tested on biological systems to determine their effects. The second project involves the research with peritrichs. There is an indication that this organism should be used as water pollution indicator. The cytochemistry morphology and habitat of this organism was studied. Research is done also to develop a growth medium for this organism. The future plan calls for the determination of DNA base composition of peritrichs. The third project is entitled "Studies with Microbial Beta-Galactosidase." In this project investigations will be directed to determine the conditions under which microbial Beta-galactosidase production might be induced or enhanced isolate and purify microbial Beta-galactosidase, study the activity of this enzyme in presence of metal ions, pH and temperature and investigate insoluble support columns for the immobilization of microbial Beta-galactosidase.